The Assassin of Remnant
by Soy99
Summary: After defeating the Templar Order, Django Kraus is unsure of where to go. That's when an old man with unusual powers met him in a dusty old tavern, and his life would change forever. Before he knew it, he was in the world of Remnant, a land of monsters, flying ships and warriors.
1. In the Beginning

**So this is an idea that was floating in my head for a while, and I've gotten hooked to it enough to write it as a story. The basic premise is my Assassin's Creed OC, Django Kraus, goes from 1876 to Remnant. This idea was inspired by a wide range of influences, but the crossover points are my ideas. I'm not sure when I'll get into Django's backstory, but I will give pieces through this story. More to come.**

 **I do not own Assassin's Creed or RWBY**

 _August 5, 1876_

 _Omaha, Nebraska_

Lanterns flickered dimly in the city, their light piercing the darkness of the West. Some illuminated the docks along the banks of the Missouri and Platte, where, late as it was in a city where most people retired indoors with the coming of the night, and those that didn't loaded their guns, a few sailors and dockworkers labored. Lights also glimmered in the bars and inns, but few people actually walked outside.

It had been nine years since Nebraska had been admitted into the Union, and since then Omaha's population was exploding with immigrants from across the world. Political activism had increased, for it was an election year, and the Democrats and Republicans were at each other's throats. Yet the city's location between the busy waters of the Missouri and the Platte River, the gateway to fertile western Nebraska, had brought it a great deal of influence and wealth.

Yet Omaha, Nebraska, in the Year of Our Lord 1876, was not a safe place to be at night. The light from lanterns and torches cast dark shadows in every alleyway and corner, which were excellent hiding places for the desperate and destitute.

The light from the moon illuminated a figure in a dark coat and pants standing atop a small bank. A young man, only fifteen years old, but lithe and silent. Surveying the neighborhood carefully, Django Crawford spied the target he had been spent several days searching for; a rustic wagon pulled by two sullen horses, driving by a man wearing a wide-brimmed hat which effectively covered his face. When one looked closely, they would see a symbol that looked like an X with a line going vertically through the middle.

Django knew what the symbol stood for, and pulled his scarf up to cover the lower half of his face, and leapt down from the roof as the carriage neared its destination. The building was a small, ramshackle storehouse that was held over the river, and was dimly lit by a single lantern outside the entrance. As the wagon pulled up, Django saw three men come out and meet the driver. They all wore similar attire; long coats and wide hats that shielded them from the sun and observers.

The Saratoga Gang were notorious smugglers and raiders who attacked small towns and trains, stealing valuables to purchase weapons from the black market. Jacob had been following the trail of these outlaws for two weeks, but his search had finally ended. He leapt down from the roof and grabbed a lantern from the wall of the bank, slowly approaching. The men began talking to each other.

"What took so long?" one asked the driver, clearly the leader of the group.

"Lawmen are catchin' on", the driver answered, "We better get out of Omaha".

"Don't worry, we are leavin' t'night" the leader answered.

Now, Django spoke up, "Leaving so soon?"

The four men turned around quickly, pulling out their guns and training them on the lanterns light.

"Who the hell are you?" the leader asked, "You better clear out if you know what's good for you".

"Well, I haven't ever been good at that", Django replied.

"Last chance, fancy pants".

Django made a quick observation of all the men. The leader and the two henchmen carried revolvers, while the driver had a Winchester Rifle. Django could see who was left handed and right handed, who would attack and who would stand back. Years of training and fighting had taught him to do this in seconds.

"Oh, very well", Django answered.

He dropped the lantern he was carrying, and as it hit the ground and its light went out, he flexed his left arm, triggering his hidden gun. He quickly fired at the leader, he fell back from the sudden shot. Django quickly leapt to the right as the other three men fired their guns, and took cover behind the wagon. It was too dark for the men to tell where he was, and he took advantage by triggering his hidden blade on his right arm. Sprinting towards the nearest man, he swiped the blade across his neck, then turned to the other man and fired the gun into his chest. With both men down, the only one left was the driver, who was retreating into the storehouse, firing his rifle into the darkness. Django ran at him, jumping and kicking off from a crate, flying through the air, before bringing his blade down on the back of the man's head.

With the enemies dispatched, Django went to inspect the crates in the wagon. Just as he had suspected, there were guns of different calibers and sizes. This seemed like a lot, even for raiders. He wondered who on the black market was selling them these weapons. But it didn't matter now. Using a torch, he burned down the storehouse and, after untying the horses, pushed the wagon into the river.

Mission accomplished.

* * *

 _The Following Morning_

The Boots & Bling Saloon was a small establishment on the east side of Omaha. It was a center of gossip and trade among Omaha's residents, and where people could set aside their differences to join in raucous drinking. However, this morning there was only a group of four men, the bartender and Django, sitting in a booth, present. He had chosen this saloon as a temporary base for its normality, and right now was reflecting on the various jobs he had taken since leaving the Assassins in 1875. He wondered how Bass Reeves was, since they hadn't spoken since he left California. He was probably back in San Francisco, working rebuilding the Assassin Order from scratch.

It had been a few months since he and Reeves had taken their quest to liberate America from the Templar Order, and they had done a damn good job. The leaders were all dead, and the Order itself had retreated to Cuba. Even though their ally, President Ulysses Grant, was leaving office soon, Reeves hoped that the next president would at least be oblivious to the fight between Assassin and Templar. All in all, things were looking up for the Assassin's and the people they protected.

Suddenly, an old man wearing strange clothes and small spectacles sat down in Django's booth. Django looked at him bemusement, as this man had white hair but seemed quite young and spry. Django asked the obvious question:

"Um, can I help you?"

"Actually, yes you can", answered the old man, "I am in need of someone with your particular set of skills and past."

"My past?" Django asked warily.

"Indeed. You are an Assassin, are you not?"

The whole saloon went quiet, as the group of men seemed suddenly interested in their conversation. Django looked at the man incredulously, for how could he have known? He had never seen this man before.

Django leaned in close: "If you go around lookin' for an Assassin", he whispered, "You should know that people don't take kindly to them."

"Ah," the man responded, "You may be right." Even he seemed to realize they were attracting unwanted attention. He leaned in closer and spoke quietly this time:

"Let's start over. I am Professor Ozpin, and I am hoping you will accept my request, on your honor as an Assassin."

"First of all," Django responded, "I'm not an Assassin, not anymore. Second of all, why would I help you?"

Ozpin seemed disappointed to find out what Django was, or rather wasn't, but went on:

"My home is in great danger, and I hope that you can help me defend it, regardless of who you are."

"Where is your home, is it in Nebraska, Colorado?" It wasn't the first time he had been asked to defend a town from outlaws since he had taken up the bounty hunting business, but it was the first time a potential client had referenced his past as an Assassin.

"Oh it's quite far from here, farther from the United States even." Ozpin smirked as he said this.

That caught him off-guard, since he had never been outside of the U.S. and this man sounded like he might have come from New York.

"Why the hell would you come to Nebraska, from whatever country you're from, to ask for the help of one bounty hunter who happens to have been an Assassin before?"

"Mr. Crawford, I will be honest with you. I come from another world, where the everyday dangers of life are more extreme that what you may be used to on Earth."

Django decided right then and there that this old man was completely insane. It was odd how the man knew he had been an Assassin, but in a land where your past defines how much respect people have for you, it shouldn't have been too surprising for word to spread. Django decided to let him off easy.

"Okay, look, you seem like a nice guy. But I'm not the person you should be telling this to. I'm sure the nice people at the Lincoln asylum would love to hear your story."

"I'm being completely honest with you, and can assure you I am completely sane," Ozpin said, as if he were stating an obvious fact.

"Sure, and in your world there are terrible beasties who are fought by people who use swords, that are also guns."

"Actually, that's completely accurate."

Before Django could respond, the four men who had been casting them suspicious looks came up towards their booth, and Django realized these men were bounty hunters, just like him. But these ones seemed to realize there was still a bounty on Assassin's in America. The biggest one spoke up first:

"Alright, kid, yer gonna come, nice and easy, with us to the marshal's office," he said in a way that must have intimidated the average outlaw but had little effect on Django.

"Listen, gentlemen," Ozpin spoke up, and calmly said, "While I am sure the price for an Assassin is quite substantial, I would appreciate it immensely if you could leave us in peace."

The men looked among each other humorously, and Django gave Ozpin a look that said, _are you crazy?_

"You should get outa here, grandpa," the big man responded, "You might get hurt."

Django thought Ozpin was crazy, but didn't want him to get hurt for it.

"Just go," He implored to Ozpin.

"...very well"

Ozpin calmly got up and politely asked the men to excuse him. As they changed their focus from him to Django, Ozpin spoke up once more.

"You can't make the claim I didn't warn you", Ozpin said. As he talked, he lifted a chair into the air, but not by carrying it. He seemed to be... _levitating_ it, and directed it with a cane. He swiftly brought it down on the lead man, sending him and debris flying everywhere. As Django covered his face to protect himself, the three other men charged Ozpin. Two of them tried to attack Ozpin at the same time, but they were sent flying back when he pointed his cane at them. The final attacker picked up a chair and tried bringing it down on Ozpin, but he ducked under it effortlessly and tripped the man, before bringing his cane down hard on his head. Finally, the barman pulled out a revolver, pointing it directly at Ozpin.

"What the hell are you?!" he shouted.

Ozpin calmly spun his cane, and Django noticed a bottle on a shelf above the barman slide down, and just as the barman looked up, crashed on his head, knocking him out. Django's mouth was wide open, but Ozpin looked at him like the fight was easier than flicking away ants.

"Perhaps now you'll want to reconsider my request?" he said.

* * *

Ozpin had lead Django to a decrepit tenement in North Omaha that probably hadn't been renovated since the Civil War. Nevertheless, Ozpin waltzed into the building like he owned it, which Django was starting to suspect he did. They didn't see anyone else, which meant it was probably abandoned, and the staircases were almost pitch black without the slivers of fading sunlight coming through broken windows and cracks in the wall. Every step creaked and groaned like they were about to fall apart under their feet, which didn't help the fact that the building was as eerie as a ghost town.

Django had a lot of questions on his mind. What had Ozpin done back there? What world was he from? Why did someone with powers much greater than Django's need his help for? Ozpin promised to answer as many questions as he could when he got where he wanted to. He seemed to know exactly where he wanted go, and they climbed three flights of stairs before Ozpin went into a much brighter room than all the others. Going inside, Django saw a single backpack lying against a table, upon which lay a map of the United States, coffee in one of the nicest porcelain cups Django had ever seen, and a small, rectangular device made of glass. Ozpin then calmly sat down in a chair next to a relatively well-kept fireplace, and pointed his cane at the wood, which somehow lit the fire.

"Well," Ozpin said, "You said you had questions."

Looking at Django, he gave a smile that radiated understanding, which calmed his own nerves. He slowly sat down in the chair facing opposite of Ozpin, settling in and thinking of the first question that came to his mind.

"How did you find out about me, or where I was?"

"I'm afraid I can't divulge the entire answer to that question, but what I can tell you is that a mutual aquaintance gave me information about you. He knew a lot about you, including your life as an Assassin, your age and where you might be. He didn't mention that you were no longer an Assassin."

"Yeah, that's been a pretty recent thing," Django left it at that.

"Very well, do you have any more questions?"

"Well, you're obviously much stronger than me, so why would you possibly need my help?"

"Well, there aren't many people with my exact abilities, but we work to train young people like yourself to become warriors that protect the common people. Does it sound familiar?"

"Yeah. So what war are your people fighting that needs children to serve as soldiers?"

"We aren't fighting a war, but our people fight to survive against the onslaught of the creatures of Grimm."

"Creatures… of Grimm?"

"Dark creatures that have no souls or Aura, and live only to destroy civilization."

"What's aura?"

"The manifestation of a person's soul. It grants people abilities unique to their personalities, and even provides as a shield against danger."

"The Grimm aren't the only danger our civilization faces. A radical group known as the White Fang fights against any government by committing acts of terrorism, all in the name of Faunus' rights'."

"What's a Faunus?"

"Beings who are almost entirely similar to humans, but have animal features and traits. For example, a Faunus with cat ears might have excellent night vision, while another with a monkey tail would be more agile than the average human."

"... I guess that's not the strangest thing I've just heard."

"Indeed. In my world, which is called Remnant, I am the headmaster of Beacon Academy, one of the schools that trains young men and women to be the greatest warriors in the world."

"And I want you to join my school as a student, learn to fight in Remnant, and use your own skills to defend it. I know about what you did as an Assassin. You freed this country from the control of the Templars. I hope that if you helped this world, you could help mine."

Django thought about it long and hard. It was crazy to think that he would simply go to a whole nother world, with nothing to help him understand it except this old wizard. But then again, was there really anything left here for him? He wasn't an Assassin, and the bounty hunting business gave him enough income to pay for a hotel room every few nights.

"Alright… I'll do it."

Ozpin gave a smile that almost looked relieved, "Good."

Ozpin got up and went to the table, and packed up everything splayed on the table into the backpack. Django just stayed sat in the chair, feeling numb from the realization of the gravitas of his decision. Fortunately, Ozpin was done quickly, and sat back in the chair, and put the fire back out. Except his cane, which he didn't seem to need for any physical problems, was glowing with energy. He held it horizontally between them, and when Django didn't move, he motioned towards him, encouraging him to hold onto it to. Django quickly grabbed onto the shaft, and felt buzzing on his hand. Ozpin spoke again:

"Now, this will be disconcerting for you, so just be prepared to land."

"Wait, what?"

Then the world bent before his very eyes, and the two seemed to get sucked into the handle, and for a brief moment, there was nothing but blackness.


	2. The First Few Steps

Before Django was able to comprehend what was happening, he landed face first on the ground. When he looked up, he saw Ozpin gently float down from the sky, almost as if was simply walking into his own home. He was, however, kind enough to help Django get up. Aside from his legs being a little wobbly and his eye feeling a bit sore, he felt fine.

"Django Kraus," Ozpin said, "Welcome to Beacon Academy."

As Django turned around, he looked upon the tallest and most beautiful complex he had ever seen. It looked like one of the old castles from Europe he had seen in pictures, but it was much taller, so high it went above the clouds. The most defining feature of the academy was the one, great spire that overshadowed everything else, surrounded by four other towers. The front entrance was a long, concrete path that was shadowed by a dozen arches, lampposts, and the cleanest waterfront Django had ever seen.

"It seems we've arrived just in time to meet the new students, your new classmates," Ozpin said. Realization seemed to dawn on his face, "Which means I have to give them their welcome address, follow me!"

Django was surprised by how fast Ozpin ran, but he supposed it wasn't _the_ most miraculous thing he had seen this old man do. They quickly arrived in a large room, with almost a hundred students standing in front of a stage.

When Django tried to ask him what to do, he quickly responded: "Just try to make some friends.", and then he was off.

 _All right, Django, make some friends. It can't be any harder than destroying the Templar Order_ , he thought to himself.

He tried to ease into the crowd, which wasn't easy since the excitement in among the students was palpable, everyone talking to each other and moving around. As he was walking around, he bumped into another kid by accident. Noticing him, he saw that he had light blonde hair, wearing armor plates over a black jacket and jeans, with a sword strapped to his side.

 _Well, good place to start_ , Django thought.

"Sorry about that", Django started.

"No problem. My name's Jaune Arc."

"Django Kraus", he replied. They both shook hands, and continued talking.

"So you're a new student here too?" Jaune asked.

"Yeah, pretty new. Is something wrong? You seem depressed."

"Just kind of sad that the first friend I made here wandered off."

He was focusing on a trio of girls who were having a particularly noisy conversation, with a girl in a white dress yelling at another girl in a red dress and cape, while a blonde-haired girl stood by, looking amused. Suddenly, the girl in the white dress pointed at Jaune. They weren't sure where it came from, but melted into their conversation quickly.

"... and color our nails, and talk about cute boys like… tall, blonde and scraggly over there."

Whatever it meant in context, Jaune took notice immediately. He kept looking back at the girls despite the fact they were already back into their own bubble. Before he could intervene, a strange echoing sound reverberated around the room. It was a noise Django hadn't heard before, and it made his ears hurt. Looking up at the stage, he saw Ozpin standing in front of a microphone. After clearing his throat, he gave his speech:

"I'll keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of a purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

 _That was pretty odd_ , Django thought. Ozpin seemed to change in his demeanor, no longer a patient man but a strict teacher. After giving his speech he briskly walked off the stage, and a blonde woman in formal clothes and a black cape that was shredded at the bottom stepped up to the microphone.

"You will gather in the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow your initiation begins, be ready. You are dismissed."

Django was about to ask Jaune if he knew where the ballroom was, but he noticed the he was walking over towards the girls who had briefly noticed him earlier. Django decided to follow along, since there wasn't much else to do. The girls seemed to have noticed Ozpin's demeanor as well.

"He seemed kind of….off." said the blonde one.

"It's almost like he wasn't even there." the red one added.

Suddenly, Jaune stepped in:

"I'm a natural blonde you know." he tried to say smoothly. Now they had all three of the girls' attention. Now that he was closer, Django could see the girls better. The red girl was fair skinned, with black, neck length hair that turned dark red at the tips. She wore a black, long sleeve blouse and skirt with red trim, with black stockings and combat boots. She had a red hooded cape that was pinned to her dress by cross-shaped pins, and on the front of her belt was an emblem that looked like a flower. Most remarkably, she had bright silver eyes.

The tall blondie had long, bright hair that went down to her waist, with a cowlick standing at the top, and had purple eyes. Her choice of clothing was the most unlike what Django had ever seen in 19th-century America: a tan jacket that exposed her waist, with short sleeves that ended at her elbows, leaving room for the biggest gauntlets Django had ever seen. Underneath the jacket she had a yellow shirt that was cropped scandalously low, with some sort of fiery emblem on it. She also had _very_ short black shorts on, making Django less comfortable. It looked like she and the red girl were related, judging from physical appearances.

The girl in a white dress reminded him most of American styles. Her shining white hair was pulled back in a bun tail and pinned with an icicle shaped tiara. On her feet she wore long, white boots. He noticed she had a vertical scar on her left eye, which meant there was more to this girl than originally met the eye.

The red one seemed to recognize Jaune, and greeted them quickly.

"Hey Jaune, what's up?" she asked.

"Nothing much, since you kinda just left me back there." Jaune responded. He suddenly seemed to realize Django was also standing next to him.

"Oh, here, let me introduce to Django. We kinda met just earlier."

"Nice to meet you," Django said, extending his hand.

"Ruby Rose," the red girl said, and pointed at the blondie, "And this is my sister, Yang Xiao Long."

 _So they are related_ , he thought, shaking both their hands. Suddenly, Yang got a lot closer, frightening Django's 1870's sensibilities, asking, "So, you single, cutie?"

Django was surprised by how bluntly this girl asked that question, and took a step back before nodding in the affirmative. The only person who seemed to be bothered by Yang's "unladylike" behavior was her sister, who whined, "Yang!"

Yang chuckled before saying, "Relax you two, I'm just teasing."

Django decided to direct his attention to the white-haired girl, he seemed to be upset he hadn't recognized her. He reached out his hand to her.

"And you are?" he asked politely.

"Weiss Schnee." she said quickly, shaking his hand in the same delicate way he had seen rich people in San Francisco do. He guessed from that she was probably from this world's aristocracy, probably why she was upset he had not acknowledged her earlier. They quickly began striking up a conversation.

"So, Django," said Yang, "Where are you from?"

"Oh….uh," he wasn't sure what to say, but simply said, "Just a small little dirt pile in the middle of nowhere."

"Are you from Vale?"

"No, pretty far from there actually."

"So you must be on some sort of exchange program?"

"Yeah….I guess you could put it that way."

The group began to split off, Weiss going on her own to the ballroom, and Ruby and Yang said they were going to go get their belongings at the docks, and Jaune said he would need to get his own things too. Django assured them he would be fine on his own, and he began walking down the hallways. As he was walking, he heard footsteps behind him. Turning around, he saw Ozpin standing right behind him, with a cup of coffee in his left hand and cane in the other.

"So, fitting into school are we?" he asked.

"Yeah, already made some friends. So what are we supposed to do now?"

"Well, most students are encouraged to stay within the campus grounds. But since your a special case, I would suggest you head to the armory to….modernize your weapons."

"What's wrong with them?"

"Let's just say in Remnant, those are called _classics_."

"Oh, yeah I get it. Thanks Ozpin."

"And since you have the rest of the day, you might as well go to the city. Perhaps you can fit in better with the fashion."

"Why? Are my clothes unusual?"

"Yes. I would suggest the Atlas Royal Tailor Shop in central Vale."

"Vale?"

"The city out there."

Django hadn't yet looked outside the windows that were right next to them. They went all the way to the floor, allowing him to take in the full view. Beacon seemed to be perched atop a cliff overlooking a vast bay, across from which lay a magnificent city, with towers that, while dwarfed by Beacon, still stretched high into the sky. Speaking of the sky, there seemed to be giant ships in the sky that looked like dirigibles but had the smooth surfaces of a seaship. Several of those ships were coming towards Beacon, most likely carrying everyone's luggage.

"Quite the site, isn't it?" Ozpin said.

"I've never seen a city like that." Django said in an awed tone.

"Well, like I said, feel free to spend the rest of the day preparing for your initiation. Just be back before dark."

* * *

The city was even more magnificent up close. Looking through the windows of the airship, he saw the buildings were connected by walkways, and snaking between them were several train tracks, with different trains zooming back and forth. It was like a dream city, with no dark smog in the air that covered the buildings. He was the only person in the ship, aside from a man and a woman who seemed to be together, probably seeing off their child at Beacon.

The ship docked at the port, and as he walked out, he saw how crowded the complex was. There were people going about their daily lives, seeing off loved ones or welcoming them back, some soldiers were sitting in chairs, presumably waiting for their own ship. There didn't seem to be much here except a few stores selling snacks and newspapers, but nobody seemed to really go into any of them. Instead, most of them had their faces glued to the small devices that Django had learned were called Scrolls. Ozpin had given him his own, but he wasn't keen on using it yet.

He made his way outside the complex, where a few people were waiting to be picked up. He noticed an area called Taxi Pickup, and went over there. He didn't have to wait long before another strange machine, called a car, drove up to him. The man inside rolled down his window and asked:

"Where to?"

Django was caught off guard by the rabbit ears on his head, but remembered what Ozpin had told him about the Faunus. He decided not to mention them, as the driver would probably not take too kindly to it. Instead, he answered.

"Atlas Royal Tailor Shop."

The driver pressed a button, opening the back side passenger door. Django clambered in, finding that it held less room in it than the carriages did. The driver seemed to know exactly where he was going, driving and swerving through the roads, which were surprisingly smooth to Django. The whole city was unusually clean to him, and it was a lot less crowded than New York. As they continued driving, the buildings got fancier and fancier, until finally they pulled up in front of a shop that said, in fancy text, _Atlas Royal Tailor Shop_. Django gave the driver the green card Ozpin had given him, which was somehow suppose to exchange currency.

Entering the shop, he was blown by a strange scent that held a calming effect on him, along with music playing through some sort of speakers. The shop was sparkling clean, with a wide range of clothing options hanging from racks. Django looked around, he saw a woman come out from a back room, stepping behind the counter. She wore nice, formal clothes and had makeup on her face. She was actually quite pretty, and seemed to fully understand its effect on people. His view of her, however, changed slightly when she gave him a look that asked: _What sewer did you drag yourself from?_

Instead, she said: "Can I help you?"

Django decided to be polite. "Yes, I was hoping to get some more….fashionable clothes."

"Well, fortunately we have a wide array of clothing from across the kingdoms. I'm absolutely certain you'll find something fitting to your tastes. You do have money, don't you?"

After almost an hour of trying different clothes and passive-aggressive comments by the woman, Django finally found a style he liked. A blue coat that went down to his knees, along with a white shirt under a burgundy vest, with black pants and combat boots. He also got a red scarf that covered the lower half of his face, and it bore the Assassins symbol on it. The symbol was also on an epaulet on the collar of his coat. He was also able to get an arm guard that, according to the shop owner, could resist the bite force of the average Grimm, but was as flexible as a blanket.

"Well, I certainly hope your satisfied with your clothing choices. It is quite expensive," the owner said.

"I hope I have enough." he said. He handed her the green card and she swiped along some sort of device. She looked surprised by what she saw on the screen of the computer, and simply handed it back to him. He thanked her for her service, and left.

Getting outside, he saw that the sun was starting to set. He looked around for one of the cable cars, like in San Francisco, but instead saw a wait station that held a sign that said Bus Stop. he decided to wait there, and a car that was rectangular-shaped pulled up. The driver asked him the same question as the taxi driver: "Where to?"

"Vale International Airport."

"Come on in."

When he got in, he saw that there were several empty seats, and he wasn't sure which one to sit in. He just sat down in a row of chairs along the window. Other than him and the driver, the only other people were some kids in uniforms, so presumably going home from school, an old woman sitting in an isolated chair by herself, and two girls his age who were looking at him. When he saw them, the giggled and smiled at him, and he smiled politely back. Remnant was truly a strange place regarding women. Here, they were not only upfront about their personal feelings towards people and were allowed to wear whatever they wanted, but they were encouraged to fight alongside men in combat. It was a truly different world from America.

* * *

Getting back to the school, he arrived in time before Glynda Goodwitch, the woman who had spoken on the stage earlier in the day, started patrolling the halls. He realized he would need to change into his nightclothes, or 'pajamas', as the students called them. He wore a black shirt and blue shorts, and settled into his own sheet on the ground, situated in the middle of the room.

The room had grown steadily silent, as people started to drift off to sleep. However, a commotion at the girls side of the room starting drawing anyone's attention. Two girls screamed _not you again!_ and it turned out that Yang and Weiss were at each other's throats while Ruby tried to calm tensions, and a girl sitting on the floor with a book in her hand looked like she really wanted to be left alone. She seemed to realize that she wouldn't be able to read now, and blew out her candle, settling down to sleep. This seemed to snap the other three out, and they realized they had gotten the attention of a lot of people. Ruby looked around and made eye contact with Django, who gave an amused smile back at her, to which she replied by mouthing _sorry_.

Eventually, everyone was able to calm down and settle into their beds. Django realized that this would be one hell of an adventure.


	3. Into the Forest

The next morning, Django awoke to sunlight streaming directly on his face. He looked around and noticed he was awake before most of the other people were, and decided he might as well get ready with his head start. Making his way to the bathrooms, he showered and brushed his teeth before dressing into his new clothes. He wasn't sure when they would start their initiation, but decided it wouldn't hurt to retrieve his weapons. Before visiting Vale yesterday, he had stopped at the school forge to have his weapons upgraded. After leaving the tailor shop, he received a message on his Scroll from the swordsmith, a curt message simply telling him he had left the weapons in his assigned locker.

He found his locker, 623, and took out his new weapons. His two revolvers were upgraded, with a shinier design, more space for ammunition and better rounds. His right-hand revolver could also transform into a Kukri knife. His gauntlet weapons had also been updated, with sleeker designs, and his hidden gun (on his right hand) could fire five rounds. The dart shooter on his left-hand gauntlet was better-hidden, as was the potency of the darts themselves. All in all, an efficient and deadly arsenal.

He saw another person in the locker rooms about thirty minutes later. He was a dark-skinned boy wearing a black vest over a red buttoned-up shirt, with his vest graduating into a cape below the waist, and a black bowtie. He wore armored gloves, black pants, black combat boots with red highlights and a black fedora with a grey bird's feather on it. The guy saw him and greeted him.

"What's up? My name's Amas, what's yours?"

"Django."

They both shook hands, and both looked at each other with respect, as if they could tell how skilled the other was. Amas seemed nice enough, since he had opened the conversation. He seemed to favor similar clothing styles to Django, which served as a commonality between the two.

"So, you ready for initiation?" Amas asked him.

"Not entirely sure what to expect, to be honest."

"No one is, since it generally changes every year. But I heard were going to the Emerald Forest. Now _that's_ gonna have a lot of Grimm."

"You don't say."

"Well, I gotta go, see ya later, man."

"See ya."

Amas walked off to the firing range, presumably to test his weapon. He had a cane that looked different from Ozpin's, but made him wonder if Koa had the same power as him.

After checking his gear, other students began filing in, most prominently a quiet boy in green robes and holding his black hair in a short ponytail with a loud red-head girl in a pink skirt and an armored cuirass with a small, heart-shaped opening on the chestpiece. They seemed to be talking about sloths, or something.

Ruby and Yang were also in the locker rooms, and Django overheard their conversation.

Yang said, "You seem awfully chipper this morning."

"Yep," Ruby replied, "No more awkward small-talk or getting-to-know-you stuff. Today, I get to let my sweetheart do the talking." she pulled out a red device of some sort that she fawned over like it was her own child. It might have been.

"Well, remember Ruby, you're not the only one going through initiation. If you want to grow up your gonna have to meet new people and learn to work together."

"Ugh, you sound like dad! Okay first of all, what does meeting people have to do with fighting? And second of all, I don't need people to help me grow up… I drink _milk_."

"But what about when we form teams?" that surprised Django, who wasn't aware they would have to do so.

Ruby also seemed like she hadn't thought about that, "I-I don't know. I guess I'll be on your team, or something."

"Well….maybe you should try being on someone else's team?"

"My _dear_ sister Yang, are you implying you do not wish to be on the same team as me?!"

"What, no! Of course I do. I just thought it might….I don't know….help you break out of your shell."

"What the - I don't need to break out of my shell! That's absolutely ridiculous!"

"Yeah….well….you just….uh….hey Django, you get it, right?"

They both looked at him, and he wasn't sure what to say. He had his own poor experience leading teams, but it did seem that Ruby was a little separate from everyone else. He decided to answer diplomatically.

"Well, making allies _is_ important to surviving in combat, whether you like it or not. You can hope to get paired up with a friend, but if you get with someone you don't know, it would be best to at least _try_ to get along with them."

"Yeah!" Yang said, "I mean, remember that Blake girl? She's more quiet than you are and she'll also have to work with other people."

"I guess so, but I still don't like it."

Suddenly, there was a loud _thud_ sound to their right, and they saw Jaune, pinned to a locker by a red and yellow javelin through his hoodie. The girl who had thrown it pulled it out and apologised in a way that was probably genuine. Then, the intercom sounded:

" _Would all first year students report to Beacon Cliff_ _immediately. Repeat, all first year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately_."

Django, Ruby and Yang walked over to Jaune, who seemed pretty defeated, and Yang asked the first question.

"Havin' some trouble there, lady-killer?"

"I don't understand," Jaune responded, "My dad said all women look for is confidence. Where did I go wrong?" Django gave him a lift-up, which he quickly accepted.

"Snow angel probably wasn't the best start."

"Come on, guys! Let's go." Ruby said.

* * *

Beacon Cliff was a twenty minute walk from the Beacon complex itself, and it held quite the view. A massive forest stretched out for miles, with birds flying through the air, and the sun shining brilliantly. However, the forest boasted much more than scenic nature, judging by the distant roars that could be heard. Ozpin and Goodwitch were waiting for the students, and had them stand on their own stone slab. Django stood between Ruby and Jaune, and listened attentively to Ozpin's instructions.

"For years, you have trained to become warriors. And today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."

Now Goodwitch spoke: "Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates…. _today_."

Ruby groaned quietly, and Django become more excited. Ozpin continued:

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well."

Another groan from Ruby.

"That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

Ruby seemed to crack under the revelation, shouting "What?!"

"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you _will_ die."

This produced a nervous gulp from Jaune, a rush of excitement for the rest of the students, and a full realization of the severity of his situation to Django.

"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation. But our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple, at the end of the path, containing several relics. Each pair must choose one, and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"

"Yeah, uh sir-" Jaune said.

"Good!" Ozpin interrupted, "Now, take your positions."

Everyone, except for Jaune, got into a crouched position, ready for deployment. He wasn't sure what would happen, but was expecting anything. Meanwhile, Jaune worked up the courage to ask his question.

"Uh, sir? I've got, um, a questions."

To his left, Django saw Weiss get catapulted by the slab she was standing on _way_ into the air. _So that's what's happening, is it?_ Django thought, _One leap of faith?_

Jaune went on, "So, this landing strategy thing, uh, wh-what is it? You're, like, dropping us off or something?"

"No.", Ozpin answered, "You will be falling."

"Oh, I see. So, like, do you hand out parachutes for us?"

The girl who had been talking about sloths earlier was launched into the air, shouting _Woohoo_! as she flew through the air.

"No. You will be using your own landing strategy."

"Uhuhh….yeah."

Before Yang was launched off, she winked at her sister, placed on her sunglasses and loaded her gauntlets. Ruby gave Django a smirk before vanishing in an instant. Knowing it was his turn, Django steeled his nerves, closed his eyes, and held his breath. Before he could hear the end of Jaune and Ozpin's conversation, he felt the ground vanish beneath his feet and the rush of air in his ears...


End file.
